


Ready For This

by justme133



Category: IT (2017), IT 2017 Movie
Genre: M/M, Reddie, aged up to 16, because why not, damn trashmouth, implied - Freeform, rated mature for cussing, references to book too, references to movie, richie cusses alot, so kind of spoilers-ish, that damn clown still haunts them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-01-15 11:58:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12320640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justme133/pseuds/justme133
Summary: It had been two years since they had fought IT, and things for them had gone on as it had for everyone else, but they were changed forever in a way that had scarred all of them. But they had been together, and that was all they could ask for.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Anybody catch the pun in the title?
> 
> So this was an awesome movie, and Tumblr was full of Reddie, so here I am!! Let's hope I don't completely butcher these two. Even with the book under my belt and the movie, that's probably going to happen. Oh well. Fuck it.

It had been two years since they had fought IT, and things for them had gone on as it had for everyone else, but they were changed forever in a way that had scarred all of them. But they had been together, and that was all they could ask for. 

 

Currently, they found themselves sitting at the local park, watching as kids played around them, and parents watched them. There was no worries of kids going missing, no worries of anything bad happening for the next 25 years, and only these 7 teens knew that.

 

Stan had his bird book in his hands, showing Beverly a local bird that had landed near them. Bill and Ben were discussing the best way to build a ramp for their bikes that wouldn’t result in them getting killed, with Mike throwing in some advice every now and then. Richie was resting his head on Eddie’s shoulder as they read a comic book together. Richie’s hand was on Eddie’s short-clad knee, and no one even blinked when Eddie’s head briefly rested on Richie’s as they flipped to the next page.

 

It was only when Bev looked up from Stan’s book that she noticed their cuddly closeness, and began to grin. She nudged Stan, who looked up and had to smile at the two of them as well, lost in their own little world. He flagged down Bill, who got Ben and Mike, and soon they were all quiet as they watched them.

 

Finally, Richie looked up and frowned at their weird looks.

 

“What the fuck are you all looking at?” Eddie looked up at Richie and then at his friends, his eyebrows raised in confusion.

 

Beverly was the first to ask.

 

“Are you two dating?”   
  


Eddie froze up next to Richie, who just stared at them, his eyes wide behind his glasses. Eddie’s chest began to hurt, but no, he was not going to reach for his aspirator, not yet. Him and Richie had never really put anything on what they were, but they were there, together, more often than the others. It was just how it was. Eddie had known he was different than the other guys for a while, and that was okay - he loved Beverly like they all did, sure, but not the way he loved Richie.

 

But Richie didn’t really know that, ya know? Oh god, he couldn’t breath.

 

How long had passed? An hour, two? Eddie didn’t know, he couldn’t breath, but Richie was still next to him, his hand was still on his knee, so that was good, right?

 

“We might as well be,” Richie said, shrugging before he plucked the comic book from Eddie’s limp fingers. “Only this idiot over here can’t tell when I’m flirting with him.”

WHAT?! Eddie wasn’t breathing now, he was sure. Richie calmly let go of the comic book and reached into his pocket, pulling out the spare aspirator he kept for Eddie.

 

“Puff,” he said, rolling his eyes at the others as Eddie breathed deeply before Richie pocketed it and picked up the comic book again. When Eddie could breath, he finally looked at Richie, who seemed overly calm, but they could see the shaking in his hands. 

 

“Guys-” Beverly had tried to get them to stop, but Eddie had stood up to face Richie, who looked up at him.

 

“Did you mean that?!” His voice cracked, which was embarrassing for a 16 year old, but he didn’t care right now. Richie looked at him, a smirk quirking up his lips, and Eddie knew he was screwed.

 

“Aye, guvnur.” Eddie’s eye twitched as he grabbed the comic book from Richie and hit him over the head with it a few times, making the taller teen laugh before he grabbed Eddie’s wrists, making him huff as he glared at him.

 

“I hate you trashmouth.” Richie just grinned and ended up pulling Eddie, who was still slighter and shorter than him, into his lap, his arms circling around him and his chin onto his shoulder. Eddie’s face was red with embarrassment as his friends began to laugh. Eventually he did too, falling into Richie, who still kept ahold of him as he chuckled too.

 

“Are we dating?” Richie asked, directing the question at Eddie, who blushed and ducked his head before he nodded jerkily. He missed the huge smile that was on Richie’s face now, or how happy his friends were for them.

 

…

 

That had been about 6 months ago. The teens were on their way of being out for Christmas break, and after much convincing, Eddie had finally got his mother to let him go stay at Richie’s for the first week of break, thinking that their other friends would be there.

 

And yes, they’d be there during the day, and possibly during the night, but honestly, Eddie just wanted some time with his damn boyfriend. At school it was hard, because they were always in a group, and no one batted an eye when two losers were close together, or if one had his arm around the other, but besides that, not much had changed between them.

 

Besides the kissing. Richie seemed to always want to kiss Eddie, and he was fine with that - ignoring the possible infections that could come from things like that - Eddie enjoyed when they could be alone for a few minutes and could be together like that.

 

That didn’t happen often. The only downfall of having a large group of friends with no lives and a crazy overprotective mother.

 

But here he was, a duffel bag stuffed with clean clothes - which was pointless, Richie’s house was a fucking mess - and medicine - also pointless, most of them fake - on his bike, pedaling to Richie’s house.

 

They’re friends would be coming by later, or tomorrow if he was lucky, so he could just sit down and spend some time with his boyfriend, as an actual boyfriend-boyfriend type thing.

 

…

 

Richie was thinking the same thing as he rushed to pick up some of the stuff in his room and around the rest of his house. His parents were still at work, so he had the house to himself, something he was used to, but his friends would be by later that night, but Eddie was on his way right now, and Richie was kind of nervous.

 

He and Eddie hadn’t had much alone time since they had started dating - sure, they kissed, and sure, they held hands around their friends and stuff, but they hadn’t been really alone like this, and Richie wanted to make sure everything was as good as it could be.

 

Eddie deserved that.

 

He deserved the world, but Richie couldn’t give him that, so he would do the next best thing.

 

A loud knock on his door made him jolt and he kind of wished he had Eddie’s aspirator for himself to use.

 

Eddie made him so nervous, but he would never tell him that.

 

“Hey babe, come on in,” he said, opening the door and moving his arm in a sweeping motion. He saw Eddie’s face flush but he ignored it as he came in and dropped his bag in the living room. 

 

“Hey-” Eddie was cut off by Richie cupping his face and kissing him, and his body just kind of sagged against Richie’s as they stood there for a minute before he pulled away. “Hi.”   
  


“Hi.”

 

…

 

They were laying on the garish couch that was in Richie’s living room, Richie spooning Eddie as they watched some crappy movie on the TV. Eddie tried to ignore the slight poke he felt in his lower back, but he wasn’t stupid. He was a 16 year old boy, who probably knew about health and human anatomy than his friends did. Well, except maybe Beverly, but still. He knew what was poking him, and from the way that Richie wiggled a bit, he knew Eddie could feel it.

 

Oh yeah, Richie knew, and he tried not to be embarrassed about it, but honestly, this was the first time he actually got to cuddle and be alone with his boyfriend, and his body was reacting to that feeling of having Eddie in his arms, where he freaking belonged. He wiggled again, and he heard a sharp intake of breath from Eddie, which made Richie just a little harder while he rested his chin on Eddie’s head.

 

Their moment was ruined by a loud knock on the door.

 

“Hey lovebirds, let us in!!” Eddie got up, leaving Richie to groan and roll over onto his stomach at their friends laughter. He was going to punch Stan in the face one of these days.

 

…

 

They spent a few days like this - in the morning it would just be two of them, cuddling and kissing whenever they could, and then their friends would come over and spend some time with them before going to their own homes.  Eddie’s mom had called Richie’s house once or twice to see how Eddie was doing, and he always told her he was fine, no he wasn’t ready to come home yet, he’d see her soon, so on and so on.

 

Three days before Eddie was to go home though, they found themselves completely alone - Stan had something to go do for his father, Bill was going to his speech therapist, Beverly was going shopping with her aunt, Mike helping his grandpa, and Ben was helping his parents clean up the house for some family that was coming over. It was  _ just them _ .

 

They hadn’t had a  _ just them _ moment in who knows how long - no demon clowns, no broken arms, no big group of friends, no psychotic bullies, just them.

 

Eddie was lying down against Richie, who was sitting against the head of the bed, his hands running through Eddie’s hair as he read from a comic book out loud. They were in their own world, and Richie decided to break it because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut - but everyone already knew that, didn’t they?

 

“I think I love you.”

 

He dropped the comic book and looked up at Richie, who’s eyes were wide behind his glasses as he looked at him.

 

“I think I love you too.” Richie grinned and captured Eddie’s lips with his own, maneuvering them so he was hovering over the slighter teen, who hooked his arms around his neck, one hand coming up to twist into Richie’s messy hair. Richie’s lips moved down to latch onto Eddie’s neck, biting his way down and leaving marks on his way. He continued, making his way down Eddie’s collar, nipping at any skin he could get to.

 

Eddie had to get ahold of this situation before he got out of hand, so to speak. 

 

“Richie… Richie wait wait wait.” Richie pulled away, his glasses fogged up, making Eddie chuckle as he pushed his hair off his forehead. Richie grinned and leaned his forehead against Eddie’s.

 

“Sorreh luv,” he said in a terrible accent, making Eddie roll his eyes and push him away. “Aw come on Eds.”

 

“Don’t call me Eds,” he muttered, looking at Richie, who was now laying next to him. “Do you… I mean...” Eddie stopped and shook his head.

 

“Yeah. If you….” Richie shrugged and looked at Eddie, who grinned and began to gasp. “Aw, I keeled you!!!” Eddie laughed in between gasps and hit his boyfriend in the chest as he reached for his aspirator. 

 

“Fuck you.”

 

…

 

Richie was asleep, one arm thrown over Eddie’s bare waist as he slept next to him. And Richie was having a nightmare. He hadn’t had a nightmare in two years. But this one was terrible.

 

_ Richie was outside of the house on Neibolt Street again, and he didn’t want to be there. He hadn’t even thought of this house since they had fought IT. Why was he here? Where was Eddie? Weren’t they just cuddling in Richie’s bed after spending the night together? _

 

_ “Beep beep Richie.” He turned, but didn’t see anyone, but he knew that voice. He would never forget that voice as long as he lived in this terrible town. But they had destroyed IT, hadn’t they? “You can’t destroy me. I’m in your head. I’m always here.” Richie turned, but still didn’t see anything. _

 

_ “Fuck you you fucking clown! I’m not scared of you! Get out of my head!! You’re not real!!” _

 

_ “Oh, not scared of me?” the voice was laughing now, and continued to talk. “Not real? You know I’m real! You will fear me! Be careful Richie! Eddie will be awake soon. Enjoy him while you can. You won’t have him for long. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.”  _

 

Richie jolted up, his breathing harsh as he looked at Eddie, who was still sleeping next to him, the red marks still fresh on his neck; he could see those, even without his glasses on. He reached for them and looked at Eddie again, who came into clear focus now. 

 

He was so beautiful. But Richie took that threat to heart. He knew none of them had seen or heard of IT since they had destroyed that psychotic thing. Why was it here now? Why was he haunting Richie’s dreams? What was he going to do to Eddie?

 

Not going back to sleep and just watching Eddie, he could still hear that terrible crackly laughter in his ears.

 

…

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This clown won't let these kids be happy as long as they stay in his town, will he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for chapter 2!! Who's ready for it? I hope it lives up to what ya'll were waiting for!

By the time Eddie was to make his way back home, his neck was still covered in hickeys because apparently Richie couldn’t control himself. Eddie didn’t really care anymore, but he knew as soon as he walked through that door and took his jacket off, his mother was going to freak.

 

And he was right.

 

He had taken off his heavy down jacket and hung it up,  and his mom was on him.

 

“What is that?!”

 

“What is what?” He played stupid, his chest already beginning to hurt.

 

“Those marks on your neck! Oh my poor baby you are sick! I knew letting you stay at that boy’s house for a week would do something to you!” She grabbed his jacket and threw it over his shoulders.

 

“Ma-”   
  


“No. We’re going to the Emergency Room. NOW!” Eddie closed his eyes and let her lead him away.

 

He knew he’d have to tell her sooner or later.

 

…

 

His mom was furious. They were laughed - LAUGHED! - out of the ER. His mom was silent as they drove, but Eddie could see her lips shaking in anger.

 

“Hickeys. You are covered in  _ hickeys _ . I work so hard to take care of you, to keep you from getting sick, to make sure you take your medicines, and this is how you repay me. Was it that girl that runs around with you lot? I told you I didn’t like you running around with a girl like that.”

 

“No ma, it wasn’t Beverly.” She was shaking again as they walked inside. “I’m gay.” She turned and looked at him, the color draining from her face.

 

“I’ve done everything to keep you safe Eddie. I’ve gotten you your medicines, I got you your aspirator to control your asthma, I let you run around with a broken arm, I’ve been very lenient in the past! But this… Eddie this is just another sickness. We can take care of you.”

 

“No ma, it’s not a sickness! I’m gay! I have a boyfriend! I’m dating-”

 

“That’s enough!” She didn’t yell, but her voice was severe enough that it made him stop. “Either you can become like everyone else and stop this… homosexual sickness before it takes over your whole brain, or…. I will send you somewhere that you will be taken care of. Don’t make me do this Eddie. But you know I will do whatever I can to keep you healthy.”

 

“Healthy?! There’s nothing wrong with me!”

 

“Your brain is already deteriorating. I need to make that call.”

 

“No! You can’t! I’ll… I’ll do it. I’ll be like everyone else.” Eddie gave in, because he was scared, and his mother knew that - she knew by taking him away, he wouldn’t see his friends - or his Richie - again, and he played right into her hands.

 

She sighed, pleased with him. “You’re such a good boy Eddie. I knew you’d understand. You’ll beat this disease. You know, there’s a woman I know, who has a nice daughter your age. I’ll make some calls.”

 

“Ma no-”

 

“Yes Eddie. A nice steady girlfriend, not like that Marsh girl, is what you need to beat this disease. Understand?”

 

“Yeah ma.” 

 

…

 

The next day, Eddie didn’t want to go meet his friends. He had to tell them, had to tell  _ Richie _ , what had happened.

 

He was going to hate him.

 

But he went, and he let Richie greet him with a hug, but when he went to kiss him, he dodged it, and that instantly raised some red flags with Richie, and their friends, who were watching them.

 

Eddie hated himself, but if he didn’t do this, his mom would send him away. Was this worth living a lie? Was this pain worth it?

 

“Richie… I….” Eddie couldn’t breath. His chest hurt so badly, and he was close to tears. He hated this. He hadn’t been this scared since he had broken his arm. And who had protected him from the clown trying to eat him?  _ Richie had _ . And now he had to break his heart, which he was sure would hurt more than a broken arm.

 

“What is it babe?” 

 

Now Eddie broke down, tears slipping down his cheeks. He was 16, but fuck it, this was something that hurt him.

 

“I can’t… I can’t be with you anymore.”

 

He felt the minute Richie’s heart broke. His body stiffened and he stepped away from him, face going blank. No amusement, no silly voices, no  _ Richie _ . He was just… there. 

 

“What?” Richie felt like he was gone - Eddie was breaking up with him? What was this? After what had happened? After everything? 

 

“I’m sorry-”

 

“Sorry?! SORRY?! After… fuck, Eds, after  _ everything _ , you just… you can’t-”

 

“I have to. I have to!” Richie stepped away as Eddie fell against Beverly, who came to stand by his side. “I told… she threatened to send me away. I’d never see you, any of you, again. I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t  _ not _ see you again. Even if-”

 

Richie was shaking his head, He couldn’t be hearing this.

 

“I didn’t tell her it was  _ you _ . She doesn’t know I was dating  _ you _ .”

 

“Was. Already past tense.” Richie had become sarcastic and hard, the fun Richie was gone now.

 

“Richie. Please. I love-”

 

“Fuck you Eddie.” Richie turned and walked away, trying not to cry until he was away from his friends. Bill had tried to grab for him, but he had shrugged him off, checking once to make sure Eddie was in good hands. He had crumpled, his breathing gasping between sobs as Beverly rocked him against her.

 

They were done.

 

…

 

It had been two months since then, and Eddie was ‘dating’ a short, round, blonde girl named Susan.

 

“Susan. What the fuck kind of name is Susan?” Richie grumbled, watching as they stood by her locker before she placed a kiss on his cheek. Richie tried to ignore how his heart jumped when Eddie grimaced.

 

“You know he’s only doing it because of his mom,” Beverly said, closing her locker and meeting his eyes.

 

“Fuck that. You know what it was.”

 

“IT. We’re never going to be safe, are we?”

 

“Nope. IT told me I wouldn’t have him for long. IT did this.”

 

“IT didn’t make you leave all those hickeys on his neck.” Richie smirked, remembering that night, before he shook his head.

 

“Doesn’t matter now. IT won this time.”

 

Eddie was heading towards them, and Richie, being the moody heartbroken teenager that he was, walked away before Eddie could talk to him.

 

“He hates me. He should hate me. I hate me,” Eddie said, slumping against the lockers as Beverly slumped next to him. “How do you deal with heartbreak?”

 

“I lock it all away and beat the shit out of things,” she said, shrugging at him. Eddie chuckled and rested his head against the locker.

 

“I'm a lover not a fighter.”

 

“Maybe you need to fight for what you love though.”

 

Eddie met her eyes and knew she was right. He's done it once before, he can do it again.

 

…

 

He was on his bike, riding as fast as he could to get home before his mom did. He was going to sit down in her chair and wait for her and tell her he couldn't lie to himself anymore and that he loved Richie.

 

Then he had to try convince Richie to take him back.

 

He was only a block away from his house when it happened. He had been pedaling, much faster than his usual cautionary speed, when he heard a whisper on the wind.

 

_ “Whatcha looking for Eddie? What's the rush? Don't wanna hurt yourself now do you?”  _

 

He cried out as the chain on his bike snapped off and he fell onto his right arm, the old break from two years ago snapping easily, making him scream as his bike fell on his leg, crushing it and pinning him down. He screamed for help as he heard laughter fade into the background.

 

…

 

Bill and Ben found Richie at the arcade - of course he was there, a pile of quarters on the game in front of him. He was furiously smashing the buttons,imagining the people he was fighting was Eddie's mom, or that stupid girl Susan, or that stupid clown. He hated all of them.

 

“Richie. RICHIE!” Ben called his name but he didn't turn, so Bill spoke up.

 

“E-e-eddie’s in the h-hospital.” 

 

Richie stopped playing the game and looked at them, not wanting to believe them.

 

“What?”

 

…

 

The three of them met Stan, Mike, and Beverly at the hospital entrance.

 

“You guys missed it, they just escorted Eddie's mom out!” Mike told them as Beverly picked up where he left off.

 

“Yeah she was screaming about how fragile he was and causing this big scene-”

 

“So the doctor asked Eddie if he'd like some peace and quiet, so they made her leave,” Stan finished. Richie laughed at that and turned to go inside.

 

“Let's go see Eds then.”

 

…

Eddie was resting when they went up to his room, and his doctor wasn't sure he needed some guests right now.

 

So Bev stepped up and began to sweet talk him. 

 

“Doctor, please. We're such good friends of his. We just want to make sure he's alright. Wouldn't you want to make sure your friends were all right?” With a slight pout, Beverly's manipulation worked and they were allowed in.

 

When Eddie saw them,a loopy smile came over his face as he reached for Richie.

 

“Hiiiiiiiii babiiiiiieeeee,” he drew out, making Richie look at him in surprise while their friends began to laugh behind them. “You came to see meeeeeeeee.” He tugged on Richie's arm until he was sitting next to him.

 

“Um… yeah… what happened?”

 

“That damn clowwwwwwwn…. Broke my biiiike…. Brooooooke my aaaaarm,” Eddie said, waving his casted arm around, “fractured my ankle,” he said, kicking his foot out from the blanket to show off the brace it was in.

 

“Are you o-oh-okay?” Bill asked, making Eddie nod and shoot him a silly smile before he cuddled up against Richie, burrowing himself against his chest. 

 

“Before mom went BONKERSSSS, she hit my pain thing like 3-jillion times. I am LOADED up on pain meds,” he said, laughing loudly as he tried to crawl into Richie's lap, who had to restrain him. “Babiiiiiieeeee I want cuddlessssss.”

 

They all laughed as Richie managed to get them next to each other, his arms around Eddie's body.

 

“You're so fucking high right now,” Richie muttered, making Eddie grin at him as he attempted to press a sloppy kiss on him.

 

“High for yooooooooooo. I love yooooooooooo. Never ever stopped. Never ever ever. I was gonna tell her tooooooo. Damn monster clown leper thingamajig. It did this to meeeeeeeee. But I still fucking love yooooooooooo.” Eddie looked so sincere, even with a loopy smile on his face that Richie could just shake his head.

 

“Get some rest babe.”

 

Eddie grinned and tried to give another kiss to Richie, missing and plonking into his chest.

 

“You called me babe,” he mumbled as he cuddled up and was soon fast asleep, slightly drooling against Richie, who just looked at his friends.

 

“Fuck.”


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie gets out of the hospital, ready to face his mom.

The first thing Eddie realized when he woke up was that the room was unnaturally dark - it must have been night time, since there was very little light seeping into the room. The second thing he noticed was that he was quite warm. Why was he so warm? Hospital rooms were usually so cold - he was used to asking for another blanket.

 

The more he woke up, the more he began to realize he wasn’t _alone_ in the hospital bed.

 

That sent Eddie into an asthma attack.

 

He sat up, groping for his aspirator that he knew was on the side table. Instead of that, he knocked over a pair of glasses onto the bed.

 

_Glasses_ …

 

_Richie. What was Richie doing here?_

 

Eddie heard a groan and saw a taller figure than himself sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

 

“What the fuck is wrong with you? It’s like…” Richie stopped and looked at Eddie’s watch, “3 in the morning.”

 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Eddie whispered - why, he had no idea, but it felt like he needed to whisper.

 

“Well why don’t you ask yourself that question?” Richie grumbled, reaching across Eddie for his glasses. “You’re the one who was all doped up on pain medicine and went all koala bear on me. Fucking wouldn’t let me go, so I just slept here. Took one hell of a talking to to get the docs to let me stay.”

 

Eddie’s face was slowly heating up as bits and pieces of yesterday came back to him.

 

“Holy… I didn’t…. I did _not_ … I was loopy, and I was not myself,” he began, but Richie just looked at him. “I mean…”

 

“Shut up Eds,” Richie muttered as he pulled Eddie back onto the tiny hospital bed. “I know you’re doing that thing where you internally freak out, so shut up. You’re gay, your mom doesn’t like it, I get it.”

 

“Does this mean-”

 

“No,” Richie said quietly, and Eddied hated that, because that meant he was in that serious mood where Trashmouth was gone, and it was just Richie, and it scared Eddie sometimes. “You gotta be straight for her, and you’re dating that girl, so I’ll…. I’ll let you go. I won’t be here in the morning.”

 

“Richie, I love you.”

 

“I know. I love you too. Which is why you have to do this.” Eddie leaned forward, kissing Richie, not caring right now that tears were slipping down his cheeks again - fucking Richie always made him cry for the stupidest reasons it seemed.

 

But Richie was crying too. Fuck, Eddie had made Richie fucking cry. He wiggled his way over to sit in Richie’s lap, broken arm and fractured ankle in all. Richie wanted to pull away, but Eddie had a pull on his hair as his lips attacked his, and fuck it, Richie missed this. His hands found Eddie’s waist and pulled him closer.

 

“Love you love you love you,” Eddie mumbled before he buried his face in Richie’s neck, kissing and biting his way across the skin. Richie tilted his head back, not sure what had come over Eddie, but enjoying it just the same. The way Eddie rutted against him made him pretty sure he was enjoying it too.

 

“Eddie, babe, Eddie Spaghetti,” he muttered, “as much as I’m enjoying this dahlin’, we cannot, ah say, cannot be doin’ this in this here bed, ah say.” Eddie pulled away, gasping out a laugh.

 

“That was terrible.” He didn’t move off of Richie’s lap, but instead just laid his head into the crook of his neck, getting as comfy as he could with the bulky cast in the way. They were silent for a moment before Eddie spoke again. “I don’t want to be straight. I don’t want a girlfriend. I want _you_. And fuck if I’m gonna let my mom stop me.”

 

Richie grinned and rested his cheek against Eddie’s head.

 

“Get some sleep. We’ll figure this out in the morning.”

 

With that, the two settled down to fall asleep, Eddie wrapped up in Richie’s arms.

 

…

 

Eddie woke up alone, a feeling of loss settling in his stomach, until he sat up and a note fluttered out from the blanket.

 

_They said you’d be released today. Meet me at the park at 2. Love you Spaghetti-Man._

 

He groaned at the nickname - Richie couldn’t resist himself sometimes - but Eddie was glad to know he’d be out today. Now to just convince his mom…

 

He’d worry about that when she got there.

 

For now, the nurse came in, looked him over, all that good stuff, and then mentioned to him that he had some guests in the waiting room, and if he wanted to see them.

 

That’s how Bill, Beverly, Stan, Ben, and Mike had all ended up crowded into his hospital room.

 

“Hey guys,” he said, sitting up and looking at them. He tried not to notice how Richie wasn’t there, and wasn’t going to let it show on his face.

 

“How you f-f-feeling?” Bill asked, making Eddie smile.

 

“Much better. Ready to be out of here. Ready to face my mom.” His friends looked uncomfortable, which made him worried. His chest began to hurt, but he pushed it down until he knew there was a reason to panic. “What? What is it?”

 

“She was here, earlier,” Bev said, making Eddie frown.

 

“When R-Richie left,” Bill continued, and he felt a chill race through him.

 

“She… saw him here,” Mike started, looking at Ben, who looked nervous.

 

“Apparently he gave you a kiss on the forehead before he left-”

 

“And she realized he was who you were…” Stan trailed off and Eddie fell back onto the hospital bed.

 

“What did she say?” They were all quiet and Eddie just wanted Richie but he wasn’t here and they weren’t answering him. “ _What did she say?”_ He gritted his teeth, angry because he knew something had happened.

 

“She snapped,” Stan said, making Eddie look at him. “She… she yelled at him, saying he tainted you, made you a…”

 

“Homosexual,” Bev said quietly, making Eddie snap his head to her.

 

“Then she tried to slap him, screaming at him that he ruined you, but she would fix you.”

 

Eddie made to get up, swinging his legs over the bed. His ankle hurt, but he didn’t care.

 

“Eddie what are you doing?”

 

“I’m gonna go see my mom, and then see my fucking boyfriend,” Eddie said, wincing as he put pressure on his foot. “Someone help me with my shoes.”

 

HIs friends scrambled to help him and he was standing up as his doctor came in.

 

“Edward what are you doing?”

 

“I’m leaving. I get to leave today, I know. I am okay. Just give me the pain medicine prescriptions and let me be on my way.” The doctor looked at Eddie and saw his mom in his eyes - saw that same determination in his eyes that she always had, and knew that he would not be waiting for her.

 

“I’ll get them for you, and then you may leave with your friends.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

…

 

With a limp, Eddie made his way home, ending up meeting his mom outside.

 

“Eddie-poo!! I was about to come get you!! What are you doing here?! You can’t be walking on that foot or with that arm-”

 

“I know what you said to Richie, ma.”

 

“Oh Eddie you don’t need-”

 

“What I _need_ , is Richie ma. He makes me happy. Being straight doesn’t make me happy. Fake dating that girl Susan doesn’t make me happy. Richie makes me happy. My friends make me happy. I will… I’ll take the medicines, I’ll be the son you think I need to be, but I am going to date Richie. You can’t change that. I am gay ma. I AM A HOMOSEXUAL.” He screamed the last sentence at her, and she just stared at him, eyes beginning to water and lip quivering a bit before she nodded. “You can’t keep me locked up forever ma. I’m not leaving you. But… I love him. The way you loved dad.” Now she was about to cry - they never talked about Eddie’s dad. She had loved him so much, but then he had gotten sick when Eddie was so young, she couldn’t bare to see the same thing happen to her son, which is why she became the way she was.

 

“You love him? How long-”

 

“Six months. But it’s been forever. He was always there. I love him.”

 

She nodded and opened her arms.

 

“Come inside and change clothes honey. You need some rest before you go out. He’s waiting for you, isn’t he?” Eddie nodded and hobbled into his mom’s arms, letting her hug the breath out of him.

 

…

 


	4. 4

Richie had planned it all out - he was one hell of a romantic, fuck, Eddie was so lucky to have him. He had laid out a blanket, made a fucking picnic, and even had Eddie’s favorite sandwiches and snacks. 

 

He was ready to sit in the park under a large tree and cuddle his boyfriend, and he wasn’t going to let anything stop him.

 

It was 1:45; Eddie would be here soon.

 

…

 

Eddie was so happy - his mom was finally agreeing with him on something! And it was on Richie of all things! And him being gay. He never thought he’d see this day, but here he was, getting dressed to see Richie, to be with his boyfriend, and his mom had even offered to drive him. It didn’t matter that his arm was broken, his ankle fractured - he was alive, Richie was alive, and they could finally be together.

 

Eddie didn’t think anything about his mother’s sudden shift in attitude - she had lied to him as a child, sure, but she was still his ma, and he still trusted her, because she loved him. As he was in his room, he heard his mom on the phone, and didn’t think anything about that - the neighbors gossiped like little old ladies all of the time.

 

So when he got in the car, and noticed a duffel bag in the back, he raised an eyebrow at her and asked, “What’s with that bag, ma?”

 

“Figured if I’m driving you into town, I can drop some stuff off at the thrift store,” she said, waving her hand at him with a tut. He nodded at her, accepting this completely plausible answer from her as she started the car. Even when she began to drive and passed the thrift store, he still didn’t pick up on the fact that something may be wrong.

 

It was when they slowed down as they passed the park, but didn’t stop, he began to question her.

 

“Ma, I need to meet Richie at  _ that _ park.” Maybe she had misheard him earlier. She just smiled and patted his hand as she kept driving. 

 

That’s when he saw the red balloon floating in front of the car and heard a laugh on the wind. He barely got the window down and a scream of “Richie!!!” before his mom stepped on the gas and sped through the town, leaving a confused Richie running out of the park, watching them drive away.

 

He saw the balloon as it floated away, laughter ringing in his ears.

 

“Eddie!!”

 

…

 

“Where are you taking me?!” Eddie cried, struggling against the seat belt that seemed too tight against him.

 

“You’re  _ sick _ my dear Eddie-bear. I found a nice place not too far from town, just on the other side of the town line, for people like you.”

 

“I thought you were on my side now! You lied to me. Again!!”

 

“I did what I had to. I lost your dad to being sick, I’m not going to lose you too. I’m doing this  _ for you _ .”

 

“Ma you can’t-”

 

“I can and I will. When you come back to me, you’ll be better. You’ll be  _ normal _ . I won’t have no sick…  _ faggot _ for a son. You’ll be normal, and if you’re not… well then you’ll just stay there until you are. No homosexual will be in my household.”

 

Eddie sat back and wiped tears from his eyes. He was  _ not _ a faggot. He was Eddie fucking Kaspbrak, and he loved Richie fucking Tozier, and no amount of time away would change that.

 

They pulled up in front of a small building about an hour later - it was gray, and looked so empty that Eddie felt his heart break a little bit more. He watched as his mom got out of the car and pulled him out of the car by his good arm, grabbing the bag from the backseat. She had to physcially drag him up to the front door, where they were buzzed in by a tall woman in a sweater dress and heels, her hair in a short bob style as she smiled kindly at them.

 

“You must be Eddie. Your mother here has told me about your recent… issues. We’re here to help you Eddie. I’ve got it from here, Sonia,” the woman said kindly, taking the bag from her. She went to kiss Eddie but he stepped away from her.

 

“Don’t you dare touch me,” he said, his face deadpanned as he avoided looking at her. She sniffled but nodded.

 

“You’ll be better Eddie-bear. And then you’ll be able to come home.”   
  


“I’d rather die than come back to that house with you!!” He screamed at her as she walked away. He didn’t watch to see her turn back to look at him, her hand over her mouth. He turned away, wiping tears away with his good hand.

 

“Oh Eddie, I know it’s hard. But you’re safe here. We’ll take care of you.”

 

“I don’t need to be taken care of,” he muttered at her. She smiled softly at him and nodded.

 

“Well, you’re here. My name is Anna. Let me show you to your room.” He followed her, hearing the front door slam shut behind them with another buzz.

 

He wasn’t leaving anytime soon it seemed.

 

…

 

“SHE FUCKING TOOK HIM!!” Richie was in hysterics as he was surrounded by his friends - when he had seen Eddie being driven away by his mom with the red balloon, he had stormed through town, screaming for his friends, who had came to his rescue, of course they had, but Richie was about to lose it, and they knew they couldn’t save him. “She fucking took him to one of those gay homes I know she did she threatened it before and now he’s fucking gone he screamed for me she fucking took him and I have no idea where she took him.” Richie was in tears by the time he finished, and he didn’t fucking care if they saw him - he wanted his fucking boyfriend, and was not going to stop until he found him.

 

“We’ll find him,” Beverly said softly, trying to be the voice of reason. “There can’t be that many of those houses near here, and plus Ms. K wouldn’t let Eddie go too far without being able to check up on him. Right guys?”

 

“Sh-she’s right R-Richie. Eddie c-can’t b-be far.”

 

Richie was pacing, hands twisting in his hair.

 

“We need to find him before they brainwash him and make him fucking straight and take him away from me I need him.”

 

“No one could make Eddie straight,” Stan said, making Richie glare at him, which he just returned, face stoic.

 

“Stan’s right,” Ben said, shouldering his bag. “Let’s split up. Some of us can go research where the nearest place is, the others can start looking.”

 

“Yeah, we won’t let anything happen to him,” Mike said, nodding along. Richie looked at them and nodded.

 

“I love you guys. Not as much as I love all your moms, but -”

 

“Beep beep Richie,” they all said, and he smiled. 

 

He would find Eddie, or fucking die trying.

 

....

 

Eddie sat in his room, his arm hurting a bit. Anna had provided him with pain medicine,  _ real _ pain medicine, and told him it would be okay, but he still doubted her and just scoffed at her as he took it from her. 

 

So he lied there, knowing Richie would come bust him out sooner or later, when there was a knock at his door before it was pushed open.

 

“You must be Eddie!” a bright voice chirped, making him sit up on the bed to see a girl stand there, her long sandy hair curly around her face, her cheeks pronounced in her thin face, her eyes bright green. “I’m Lorraine. My room is across the hall,” she said, tilting her head. Eddie fell back on the bed.

 

“Hi.”

 

“Oh I know, it sucks ass being here,” she said, skipping into the room and sitting down on the bed. Eddie just narrowed his eyes but didn’t look at her. “I was found kissing this beautiful girl. Name was Alison. She was stunning. Red hair, green eyes. You couldn’t help but notice her. I had never met someone like her…” Her voice trailed off and now Eddie looked at her, seeing her face soften from the bright look she carried when she came into the room. “Her mom found us. She flipped. Called my mom, called the cops. And next thing I knew, they were moving somewhere far, far, fucking far away, and I was here.”

 

“...How long have you been here?” 

 

“Six long ass months,” she said, turning her head to eye him. “It sucks. No one comes back for you. Not your friends. Not your family. This is all we have now. The only people I have are the friends I made in here.”

 

“No,” Eddie said, refusing to believe her. “My friends,  _ my boyfriend _ , will find me. And they’ll… they’ll get me out of here.”

 

Lorraine nodded and reclined on the bed.

 

“If they do, take me with you. This place doesn’t make us better. It just makes you feel crappy about being attracted to your own gender, and then they tell you that God doesn’t make mistakes, blah-blah-blah, all of that mumbo-jumbo. It’s a load of crap. I have not met a single person in here that feels like they’ve been helped by being in here.”

 

“I already knew this place wouldn’t help me.”

 

She nodded and smiled sadly at him.

 

“I’m here. Until they… until  _ he _ finds you, I’m here. You don’t have to go through this alone.” Eddie felt tears prick at the back of his eyes - the burning, uncomfortable feeling of trying not to cry in front of someone he didn’t know - but he nodded at her and returned her sad smile.

 

He  _ was not  _ alone.

 

…

 


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie is gonna find Eddie, or die trying.

Someone had to notice he wasn’t at home, right? His friends had to notice that he wasn’t there by now.

 

It had been a week since Eddie’s mom had dropped him off, and he had sat through so many group therapy sessions, listened to the other kids there - some of them as young as fucking 11 and as old as 17! - talk about their  _ urges _ , and how they wanted to be better - for their friends, their families, themselves.

 

It was all bullshit. Eddie knew that Lorraine agreed with him because every time these sessions started, they sat together and rolled their eyes at everyone. Neither one talked in the groups, and there was no way that anyone could make them. 

 

But it had been a week, and Richie had not found him - none of the Losers had, and a deep pit began to settle in his stomach. What if they gave up on him? What if Richie found someone else to be with? What if they found a new Loser to replace him?

 

Eddie knew he was being paranoid, but being held against your will does that sometimes.

 

Lorraine was his sounding board, making sure to keep him tied down and grounded until his friends got there - then, when Richie did come, he would grab Lorraine and take her with him. No way was he leaving her here.

 

…

 

Richie hadn’t slept in  _ days _ . Sure, he had power naps to keep him going, but he was pouring over every known location he could find about those homes, trying to find where Eddie might be. His friends thought he was going crazy.

 

And maybe he was. But Richie couldn’t give two flying fucks right now. They had fallen on dead ends for the last week, finding the closest one to have closed down 2 years ago.

 

He was at the library with Ben and Bev, when Mike rushed in.

 

“Guys!! I think I found the place,” he panted, making Richie stand up with such a look of hope on his face that Mike really hoped he hadn’t fucked up and made a mistake. “Bill and Stan are outside. Come on.” They all followed Mike out, where Bill was leaning against a van, waiting for them, with Stan sitting in the backseat, it’s door wide open.

 

“Where’d you get the van?” Bev asked, but Richie waved that off as he looked at Mike.

 

“What’d you find out?”

 

“My grandpa was making a delivery to a new place right across the town line - Lonewood Park or something like that is what the street’s called. Big silver building. He said it had a lot of kids in it, but only a few adults.”

 

Richie breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the knot in his chest loosen up.

 

“ _ Eddie.” _

 

…

 

They were all piled in the van, which Mike explained was an old delivery van his grandfather was going to give to him, and driving across the town line.

 

“Looking for something that looks like Lonewood…” Mike muttered, all of them scanning the signs as they coasted through.

 

“T-there! It’s not l-lonewood, it’s l-lakewood!” Bill pointed out, making Mike turn as they coasted down the road, which dead-ended.

 

Into a large building - not silver, like his grandpa had said, but grey, and empty looking.

 

But Richie knew.

 

“He’s in there. We found him.”

 

…

 

Eddie was eating him lunch - he might hate the place, but he wasn’t gonna starve himself, he wasn’t stupid, Lorraine and him were eating lunch, and Anna - who he found out was the head ‘volunteer’ of the house - loved that they spent some much time together.

 

“You two will be better in no time.”

 

Ha, okay. They both smirked at that and just continued their lunch when they heard the buzzer go off in the front, making their heads snap up.

 

The two of them moved slowly to the front as they heard the door slide - it wasn’t someone new, Eddie knew that - he was the last new person, and word spread like wildfire if someone was coming. And there was never any visitors, except for one kid’s mom who insisted he was getting better so he could come home.

 

So who the fuck is at the door? Eddie’s cast was too bulky for him to sneak very well, so Lorraine moved as close to the front as she could without being seen.   
  


…

 

“B-b-Bev, I grabbed y-your stuff,” Bill said, nodding to the duffel bag. She nodded and scrambled to the very back of the van. They heard her scramble and then reappeared, slipping on some nice black buckle shoes.

 

“Holy shit,” Richie gasped out, laughing now at the sight of her. She had a headband in her short hair, a nice peach colored sweater and a skirt on that went past her knees. “What are you supposed to be?!” He wheezed, laughing still.

 

“This is the plan, dumbass,” she said, hitting him upside the head. “Stan and I are going to go to the door, as good kids, and try to see if we can get a tour.”

 

“A tour? A fucking tour?”

 

“You have a better plan Trashmouth?” Stan quipped as they pulled up, the two getting out - Stan dressed in a button down and khakis, and Bev in her sweater and skirt - they did look like two fine, outstanding kids. “Remember, let me talk.” Stan nodded and smoothed out his shirt as he pulled a pen and notebook out of his pocket.

 

And so, they rang the buzzer and waited for the door to open.

 

…

 

When Anna opened the door, she hadn’t expected to see two fine-looking teenagers. Lorraine watched, feeling Eddie behind her.

 

“Hello ma’am,” Beverly started,  voice having a nice lilt to it instead of her regular tomboy-ish undertone. “My name is Lisa, and this is my brother Dennis. We’re members of the Saint Mary Church Teenage Association, and we were asked, as the Founding Members of the SMCTA, to come out here and see for ourselves how the Make Children Better Homes worked. They want us to be upstanding citizens when we grow up of course.”  Anna smiled and nodded, Bev’s charm always worked.

 

“Of course. Please come in.”

 

They were let in, and Lorraine scooted over a bit so Eddie could see, and his eyes widened when he saw who stepped in before Lorraine rushed him back to the cafeteria.

 

They finally found him.

 

…

 

Eddie couldn’t eat - he was waiting for them to come through the cafeteria since he could hear footsteps approaching.

 

And then came Anna, with Beverly and Stan behind her - he wanted to laugh at Bev’s get up, but they saw him, and he saw their eyes widen at the sight of him. He caught a small wave, and he waved back before he held up a finger.

 

He saw Stan nod and write down the ‘one’, and then Eddie held up four fingers, watching him write that down too. Then he pointed to himself, and he saw a sly ‘ok’ signal from Beverly before they were led away.

 

He sighed and he saw Lorraine smile at him.

 

“They found me. They found  _ us _ ,” he corrected himself, and she nodded before they finished their lunch.

 

…

 

When Bev and Stan returned to the van, Bev ripped the headband off and grinned at them.

 

“He’s here.”

 

“And he’s in room 14.”

 

“Let’s get him out of there.”

 

…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am honestly too tired to even make sure there's no mistakes, but I wanted to post it. So I hope it's good!


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No way was Richie giving Eddie up without a fight.

“Okay, so now that we know he’s in there, how do we get him out?”

 

Mike was asking the question no one knew the answer to. They were hiding out in his van, not too far from the home, and Richie was bouncing in his seat, the only thing keeping him in place a firm hand on his shoulder from Beverly.

 

“Well… they take in troubled kids, right?” Ben asked, getting a nod from them. “Maybe… we need to send a troubled kid on the inside to break Eddie out?” Ben suggested, and all eyes turned to Richie, who just pushed his glasses up his nose.

 

“We can’t send R-Richie. He’ll get found out for trying to k-k-kiss Eddie as soon as he g-g-gets there,” Bill said, making the others nod.

 

“Can’t be me and Stan. They’ve already saw us,” Beverly said, making Stan nod, all eyes falling back to Richie. No one even questioned whether Mike or Ben would go - those two couldn’t act their way out of a paper bag.

 

“I’ll do it. I’ll get myself in there, and then get me and Eddie out. I promise, I won’t try anything with Eddie until we are outside of those doors. After that, it’s fair game,” he said, his grin spreading over his face. They had to admit, they were slightly scared of that smile.

 

“Let’s fucking do this.”   
  


…

 

Richie saw the van with his friends drive until it was at the edge of the road, just far away enough that they couldn’t be seen when the doors opened, but enough that they could see what Richie was doing.

 

He took a deep breath and rang the buzzer on the door, hoping that he could convince them that he needed help.

 

…

 

Eddie and Lorraine were supposed to be in therapy, but had made an excuse to go to the little library in the building to read up on heterosexuals - yes, that was their excuse - when they heard the buzzer again. Twice in one day? Who was it now? Lorraine slipped out of the room and tiptoed to the door, Eddie on her heels.

 

What he saw made him want to reach for the inhaler that he didn’t even have on him right now.

 

…

 

“Oh thank goodness you opened that door ma’am!” Richie cried, his voice lilting almost to a Voice, but still his own. “I’ve been… I’ve been infected!! I didn’t know my friend was a homosexual, but then it seemed to be transferred to me. Please ma’am, you have to help me! I don’t want to be a cocksucking demon, oh no ma’am, not a cocksucker-”

 

“That’s enough young man,” Anna said, stopping Richie’s rant before he could finish, hoping no one had heard his outburst. “I wasn’t expecting any new tenants, but please, come in.” She let Richie in, who looked around and saw her hit a buzzer to close door. He seemed to continue staring off into space until she faced him with a clipboard. “Now, what’s your name, young man?”

 

“Billy Weston, ma’am,” Richie said, the name slipping off his tongue easily. He could see a curly haired girl out of the corner of his eye, probably his age, watching him intently before she turned around to argue with someone. He ignored it for right now and looked at the lady.

 

“My name is Anna, I’m head of care here. I just have to ask you a few questions.”

 

“Of course ma’am. I will answer them gladly.” Richie played the part of the good teen well, He answered his questions and then was shown to a vacant room at the end of the hallway, passing room 14 on his way - the door was closed, so he had no idea where Eddie was.

 

…

 

“Holy shit,” Eddie whispered as him and Lorraine hurried back to the library. “That’s Richie! It’s him! He’s here!”

 

“Holy fuck. He found you. He came back for you. No one ever comes back for us.”

 

“I told you. He’s gonna get us out of here. I never thought those stupid as fuck voices would help us, but they did.”

 

Eddie was beaming as he went to dinner with Lorraine. He didn’t see Richie, but that was okay - he had a feeling he would see him soon.

 

…

 

Richie was chilling in his room they gave him, waiting for the chance to sneak out to Eddie’s room, when he heard it.

 

“ _ Hehehehe.” _

 

That laugh. Oh fuck no. Richie was fucking awake, and that clown was fucking dead. He was not here.

 

_ “Oh no, but I’m in your mind Richie. I’m not going anywhere.” _

 

Richie ignored it, planning his escape. He just had to get Eddie out of those doors. He could do this. He beat a clown in with a fucking bat for Bill, he could escape out of a straight house for Eddie.

 

“ _ Oh but I’m still here, so did you really beat me? You’ll never get out of here now Richie! You and Eddie will never be together. You’ll die before I let that happen.” _

 

“Fuck you!” he exclaimed, sitting up and breathing hard. He heard the laugh again, but besides that, the taunting voice of the clown was gone.

 

Fuck that clown. He didn’t go down without a fight then, and he wasn’t going now.

 

…

 

Eddie figured Richie must have fallen asleep or something - he hadn’t seen him at dinner, and he wasn’t in any of the sessions that afternoon.

 

They had 20 minutes of free time right now, so Lorraine and Eddie found themselves in Eddie’s room - door open of course. Lorraine was chilling in his desk chair while Eddie fiddled with his cast.

 

“When do you get that thing off?”

 

“The doctor who came to check on me a few days ago said it seems to be healing much better than last time, so hopefully by the end of the week.”

 

“Last time?”   
  


“I… yeah I broke my arm before. Same arm. Fell and just landed on it the wrong way,” Eddie said, not wanting to go down that memory, even if it had a good part of Richie holding his face to calm him down. The rest still sucked.

 

“That fucking sucks.”

 

“Tell me about it,” Richie said as he walked into the room, plopping down on the floor.

 

“Richie!”

 

“Ah ah ah, it’s Billy here,” he said, wagging a finger at his boyfriend. “And I promised our dear friends that I would not, ah say I would not, touch your pretty self until we were outside.”  He turned to Lorraine and raised an eyebrow at her, his glasses sliding down his nose. “Who’s the chick? Didn’t I see you staring at me when I came in?”

 

“Fuck you, the chick has a name,” Lorraine said, falling back in the chair. “And yeah, who do you think I was spying on you for?” She asked, jerking a finger at Eddie, who facepalmed at the two of them.

 

“Rich, this is Lorraine. She’s kept me sane in here while I waited for you to get your butt over here and get me out. You are gonna get us out right…?”

 

“Of course my fair maiden! You think I’d throw myself in this nuthouse for anyone?”

 

Eddie grinned and then nodded at Lorraine.

 

“She’s coming with us.”

 

“What? What the hell am I supposed to do with a random girl?” Eddie threw his pillow, making it smack Richie in the face, knocking his glasses off. 

 

“She’s fucking coming with us dipshit.” Richie laughed and looked at Eddie in the fondest way only he could.

 

“I fucking missed you Eddie Spaghetti.”

 

“Missed you too Trashmouth.”

 

Lorraine watched them make gooey eyes at each other before she coughed loudly.

 

“Ahem!!! As cute as this shit is, how the fuck do we get out of here?”

 

…

 

That night, they crept through the hallway, Richie leading the way. How the fuck was he going to get them out of here? He really had no plan - but fuck if he was gonna spend another day without Eddie by his side. But he saw that lady push the button to close the door, and he was sure he could find it before they got caught.

 

Fuck. He hoped so.

 

He was doing it for Eddie.

 

Even if he still heard a breathy laugh in his ear. He would get them out of here.

 

…

 

“Alright,” Richie whispered, his hand clasped in Eddie’s tightly - fuck he had missed feeling his hand in his, but right now was not the time to think about that… or how close Eddie was, or-

 

No, Richie had to keep a clear head until they were outside of those doors.

 

“Here’s what I’m thinking. Eds, you and the chick go stand by the door. I’ll push the button to unlock it, and we run like hell.”

 

“That’s a terrible plan,” Lorraine muttered, which earned her an elbow in the ribs from Eddie before said teen squeezed Richie’s hand.

 

“Okay. Run fast.”

 

“Same to you.” Eddie nodded and him and Lorraine moved away from Richie, watching the door anxiously. Richie looked at the controls, hearing that laugh in his ears again before he pressed the button he remembered her pressing.

 

With a loud buzz, the door slid open.

 

Eddie watched as Richie slammed down on the button, making the three of them run out - or in Eddie’s case, hobble with his ankle still hurting -  as the door buzzed and slid shut behind them.

 

They made it though. They were outside.

 

…


	7. 7

They linked hands as soon as they were away from the building. When they were sure they were out of sight of it, Eddie bounded towards Richie and jumped into his arms; Richie caught him easily, broken arm and all, and Eddie wrapped his legs around his waist, kissing him fiercely, probably enough to bruise his lips, but fuck, neither of them cared. The casted arm was like a brick around Richie’s neck, but he didn’t care as he balanced Eddie around his middle, his arms tight around his waist.

“How the fuck are you two breathing?” They heard someone ask, making them pull away from each other finally to turn to see Beverly watching them in amusement.

Lorraine watched Bev before looking at Eddie. “Holy fuck, she’s gorgeous. You’re fucking beautiful.” Bev blushed a bit and tucked her short hair behind her ear as she looked at the boys who were holding on to each other.

“Good to see you guys got out. And you brought a friend. We can all kiss and sing kumbaya later. Come on!” The four of them hurried, finding their group standing by Mike’s van in the middle of the trees, waiting for them.

“About damn time. Come on lets go before they notice you’re gone.” The four of them followed the rest of the group into the van, driving off into the night.

…

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY SON IS MISSING?!!?”

“Well he isn’t the only one-” Anna started to say, but was cut off by a very angry, red-faced Mrs. Sonia Kaspbrak.

“MY SON IS VERY FRAGILE AND ILL HE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AND YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. DO I NEED TO INFORM THE AUTHORITIES?!”

“Ma’am the police have been called-”

“WELL THEN GOOD THEY KNOW WHAT A LACK IN SECURITY THIS PLACE HAS. SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING PEOPLE’S CHILDREN AND INSTEAD LET THEM RUN OFF INTO THE NIGHT!”

“Sonia-”

“DON’T SONIA ME. THAT IS MY EDDIE-BEAR OUT THERE. HE IS PROBABLY ALONE, AND SCARED, AND HE NEEDS ME TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN EXORCIST FOR HIS PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF GOING TO YOU PEOPLE.”

Anna just  sighed and let the woman rant on. Honestly, she could understand why the poor boy had run away.

…

Eddie was sitting in Richie’s lap, their bodies as tangled together as they could be without actually having sex in the backseat. Their mouths would occasionally meet in hectic kisses, liked they’d never see each other again, but for now, Eddie’s mouth was busy talking to his other friends, so Richie’s was mouthing at his neck.

“So what’s the plan?” he asked, trying terribly to bat Richie’s hands from his body.

“We-we got you guys-s a hideout,” Bill started, letting Ben take over as he helped guide Stan, who had the map, and Mike, who was driving.

“My aunt owns a small rental house in Midland,” Ben said. “It’s about an hour away, driving time. It took a little bit of… finagling, but we think we got enough stuff to keep you guys good until your mom calms down.”

“She’s never going to calm down,” Eddie said, leaning his head back. “She’s gonna check all of your houses first before she relents and gets to Richie’s.”

“You don’t think she’ll check Richie’s first?”

“Denial. She won’t go there until she can’t find me.”

…

Anna was talking to a cop while Sonia did as well.

“YOU LISTEN HERE YOU NO-GOOD OFFICER! MY EDDIE-BEAR COULD BE OUT THERE, HURT, POSSIBLY DYING, AND YOU ARE HERE CHATTING US LADIES UP INSTEAD OF LOOKING FOR HIM!!”

“Ma’am, I can promise you, we’re not chatting you ladies up. We’re gathering information.”

Anna rolled her eyes and met the eyes of the officer in front of her.

“Listen to me, sir. I know I’ve only watched this kid for about a week or so, but in all honesty, his mother left him in my care. I do not want to put a missing persons alert out on him.”

“And why not?”

“In my opinion? Eddie is a good kid. His mother is… batshit crazy,” Anna said softly, tilting her head at the large woman who was still screaming at the officer, her face red and a finger pointed in his face. “He probably just ran off with his boyfriend.”

“Even so ma’am, he’s only 16-”

“Please sir,” Anna said, eyes trailing towards Sonia again. “I’ve never seen a boy so terrified of his mom. Don’t send him back to her.”

The officer watched Sonia too and nodded. 

“Thank you for your help ma’am.”

Anna nodded while the police officer walked over to his partner to rescue his partner from Mrs. Kaspbrak, who was still ranting about the officers not doing their jobs.

…

The group of teens all got introduced to Lorraine, who they all took a liking to instantly. They were all settled into Ben’s aunt’s house, helping Eddie and Richie get comfy.

“We’ll keep you guys posted. When it cools down, you guys can come back.”

“And then we’ll go hole up at my house. She won’t bother you there.”

“Lorraine’s gonna come back with me,” Bev said, the girl at her side grinning. “But here,” Bev said, pulling a paper out of her pocket. “I did some calling around, and this doctor will take your cast off.” 

“Thanks,” Eddie said, staring at the bulky cast on his arm. “Ready for this sucker to be off.”

“Yeah, and then we can fuck,” Richie said, making Eddie elbow him as his friends laughed. “You guys get going. The cops will be heading that way soon.”

“Call us when you can.”

They waved them off, and then they were alone.

Finally together, and finally alone.

…


	8. 8

Richie jolted up, scrambling for his glasses as his vision focused on the room around him.

 

He was in the small house with Eddie, who was sleeping next to him. They had been here only for a few days, and the first thing Eddie did - besides Richie, ha - was get that stupid cast off. So Richie could see him, two arms intact, sleeping deeply.

 

So what had woken him quickly? What was making his heart race and making him fear for the boy he loved so deeply next to him? The clown couldn’t have followed them out of Derry, could it?

 

He pulled Eddie toward him, who stirred a bit and opened his tired eyes, smiling sleepily at Richie, who smiled back.

 

“Okay?” Eddie mumbled, and Richie just leaned against him, snuggling down in the bed.

 

“Yeah, I’m ok.”

 

..

 

Sonia Kaspbrak was at the Derry Police Station.

 

Again.

 

This was the sixth time in a week, demanding the cops find out where her son disappeared off too.

 

“MY EDDIE-BEAR IS LOST! WE NEED TO FIND HIM!”

 

‘Ma’am, I’ve told you before, we’re trying.”

 

“NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH OTHERWISE YOU WOULD HAVE FOUND HIM ALREADY!”

 

“Mrs. Kaspbrak, please listen to me. Have you checked in with his friends?”

 

“OF COURSE I DID! I CHECKED IN WITH THEM ALL.”

 

“Did you check with his boyfriend’s family?”

 

“MY SON IS NOT GAY HE  DOES NOT HAVE BOYFRIEND I SHOULD SLAP YOU FOR THAT!!” Her face was turning red, but the officer just watched her. He had seen her act like this for six days, and it didn’t phase him anymore.

 

The woman was batshit crazy.

…

 

Eddie was  _ happy _ . No demon clowns, no overprotective mother, just him and Richie.

 

So why was this sense of uneasiness washing over him?

 

He was sitting outside on the back porch of the little house they were staying in, his eyes closed as he let the sun hit his face. He had found a peace in himself here, but he knew he’d have to go back, he’d have to face her.

 

At least he wouldn’t go down without a fight this time. He’d have Richie by his side.

 

His mom couldn’t control him anymore.

 

…

 

“Those stupid cops don’t know what they’re doing,” Sonia muttered as she rummaged around in a box of her husband’s things. “My Eddie-bear needs me.”

 

_ ‘What you need to do is find him, help him see his ways aren’t right,’ _ a voice whispered in her ear, making her begin to dig in the box faster.  _ ‘Eddie will come back to you once Richie is out of the picture. And after that, you can take care of the rest of them. Once they’re all gone, Eddie will have no one left but you to take care of him.’ _

 

Yes, once all those pesky kids were gone, her Eddie-bear would be back to normal, and in her house with her to take care of him.

 

‘ _ Yes, that’s right. Take care of those pesky children for me. When I return, I will make sure it is worth your effort. Eddie will forever be yours.’ _

 

Sonia found what she was looking for, pulling a black box out of the old box she was looking in. Opening it, she found her late husband’s gun. 

 

Yes, she would get rid of those kids, and then, as the voice so pleasantly told her, Eddie would be hers all over again.

 

…

 

Really, listening to the whisper made finding Eddie so much easier. 

 

‘ _ Yes, follow the van, and that will take you to your precious Eddie. When they’re all in one place…’ _

 

“It’ll be so much easier to do it all at once,” she muttered, staying one car behind the van that was filled with teenagers, the gun heavy in her purse. A part of her was rational, these were Eddie’s friends, but all they did was get Eddie into trouble, place him under a homosexual spell, and make him not take his medicine. Those children were nothing but trouble for her and her son.

 

There was nothing rational about it.

 

_ ‘’Those kids turned Eddie against you.’ _

 

“They turned Eddie against me.”

 

_ ‘They need to pay. One by one.’ _

 

_ “ _ One by one….”

 

…

 

Eddie was having dinner with his friends, Richie by his side, when they hard a harsh knock on the door. He heard the knock again, louder and harsher this time, and something in Eddie told him that he needed to be the one to answer the door. He put a hand on Richie’s knee to stop him from getting up, and got himself to get up and answer the door.

 

Only to be faced with his mother, holding a gun.

 

“Ma?”

 

“Eddie-dear, I’m so glad to see you looking so good.  But I need to come in,” she said, waving the gun towards his direction. Eddie backed up, his eyes on the gun in her hands. He felt his back bump into someone, and from the snarl that his mom was giving him now, he knew who it was.

 

“Mrs. Kaspbrak, put the gun down,” Richie said, one hand on Eddie’s waist, the other held out towards her. 

 

“You children turned my son against me. You will all pay!” Her eyes were crazy as Eddie’s friends were soon crowded around them. “Move out of the way Eddie-dear. I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

Eddie saw it then - it was just a fast glimmer, but when she turned her head, he saw a flash of red, and he had a feeling he knew what was going on with his mom.

 

“This isn’t you ma. You don’t want to do this.”

 

“Eddie, you left me. With them gone, you’ll be all mine again. I need you Eddie-bear. You need me.”

 

“Mom… I’m almost 17. I will always need you, but not like this. If you hurt them, you hurt me.”

 

Sonia seemed to consider that, the hand holding the gun wavering a bit before it steadied, her eyes turning harsher as she stared Eddie down.

 

_ ‘They’ve corrupted him too much. He’s no longer your Eddie.’ _

 

“You’re no longer my Eddie. Don’t make me do this to you too.”

 

Eddie stepped forward, feeling Richie’s fingers barely graze his waist, a way to let him know he wasn’t alone.

 

“Mom. Mommy,” Eddie said, his voice going soft as he raised a shaking hand to his mom. “Don’t do this. I will come home. I will take the medicines. Just let me have my friends. Let me have Richie. Please.”

 

It was the ‘mommy’ that did her in. She blinked and stared at this young man before her - where Eddie stood, she saw bits of her husband too.. Where had her son gone? When had he gotten so big? When had he fallen in love? 

 

What else had she missed by trying to keep him by her side?

 

She heard that voice in her ears, but her eyes found Eddie’s.

 

Her Eddie’s eyes, the same color as her husband’s, the same kindness he always showed her when she was in one of her moods.

 

With a sob, Sonia Kaspbrak broke down, dropping the gun and leaning her large frame against her son, who held her now as she cried, letting him go now, letting him live his own life.

 

…

 

**_“Some Months Later”_ **

 

Richie picked Mrs. Kaspbrak from her group therapy, where she had been going for the last few months, working on herself, trying to be better for Eddie. Eddie usually came with Richie, but today he had asked Richie to do it by himself since he needed to get the house ready for her - today they were celebrating her release from the program. She was on medicine that helped her focus and not cling to Eddie - real medicine that helped them both.

 

“Thank you Richie for picking me up,” she said, patting him on the knee as he drove her towards her house. “I’m glad Eddie found you, and had you, when I wasn’t… when I wasn’t being a very good mother.”

 

“That’s okay Mrs. K,” he said, stopping in front of her house. “I actually wanted to talk to you.”

 

“About what?”

 

“It’s about Eds… Eddie. I want…. Well…”

 

“Yes, Richie.”

 

“What?” Richie just stared at her, and she laughed, a real laugh, happy and full of life. He had never seen her happy, so relaxed.

 

“Yes. Go ahead. He’ll say yes.” Richie nodded and she patted him on the knee again. “If you hurt him though, I will kill you.” She smiled still, but there was something sinister in her joking.

 

He didn’t doubt her on that threat.

 

But still, Richie was happy, because he knew Eddie was happy - he had him, his mom, and his friends. 

 

If they heard a laugh every now and then, they just ignored it. They had 24 years to go.

 

….

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, so sweet. This story is done now! Kinda open-ended but I think it works well.
> 
> And who knows, they may be more Reddie stories just waiting to be told....
> 
> Thanks for reading and all the kudos


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